Information and Software Technology Years 7–10 Life Skills unit: School events in digital
Unit title: School events in digital
Description: This unit introduces students to a variety of digital media. Students learn to operate a variety of computer hardware and software in the creation of a multimedia
presentation to record a significant school event. Safe and responsible use of materials, tools and techniques by students is essential in the Information and Software Technology
course. Teachers should consider this when delivering this unit of work. Learning activities address selected ‘learn about’ and ‘learn to’ statements within the Life Skills
content of the syllabus and may be prioritised and selected to suit the needs of students. The unit provides a range of ways in which students may engage in learning activities
and students should participate at a level appropriate to their abilities and interests.
Life Skills Outcomes
Resources
A student:
Software: word-processing, graphics, internet access
LS.1.1 uses information and software technology to participate in and manage their
Hardware: personal computer, digital camera, voice output device, scanner, printer,
environment
data projector, adaptive technology
LS.1.2 uses a range of hardware
LS.1.3 uses a range of software programs
LS.2.1 uses information and software technology in solving a range of problems
LS.2.2 evaluates information and software technology solutions
LS.4.1 explores the impact of past, current and emerging information technologies
LS.5.1 demonstrates communication skills in the development of information and
software technology solutions
LS.5.2 uses collaborative skills in the development of information and software
technology solutions
LS.5.3 uses a variety of techniques to present information and software technology
solutions.
1
Links
A student:
Design and Technology
LS.5.2
uses a variety of techniques to present design solutions
LS.6.1
selects and uses appropriate processes and techniques in the context
of producing design projects
LS.6.2
participates in producing design projects
English
ENLS-2A
communicates for a variety of purposes, audiences and contexts
ENLS-5A
recognises and uses visual texts, media and multimedia in a range of
contexts
ENLS-9A
composes texts for a variety of purposes and audiences
Food Technology
LS.4.1
gathers and uses information from a variety of sources
LS.4.2
uses a variety of communication techniques.
A student:
Graphics Technology
LS.1.2
undertakes graphical presentations to communicate ideas
LS.2.1
recognises appropriate techniques for a variety of projects
LS.4.1
uses computer-based presentation techniques
LS.6.1
recognises the use of graphics technology in a variety of contexts
Industrial Technology
LS.4.1
uses a variety of communication techniques in the context of
undertaking projects
LS.5.1
uses skills and processes in a variety of contexts and projects
LS.6.1
evaluates the success of projects
Languages
LS.MLC.3
explores ways in which meaning is conveyed by spoken language
LS.MLC.4
explores ways in which meaning is conveyed by written language
Mathematics
MALS-32MG responds and uses the language of position in everyday contexts.
For students working towards Life Skills outcomes in regular classes, teachers may wish to link the activities in this unit with the Stage 5 unit ‘Option 4, Digital Media Project’
in Information and Software Technology Years 7–10: Advice on Programming and Assessment (pp 41–48).
2
Focus: Exploring current and emerging technologies
Outcomes: LS.1.1, LS.4.1, LS.5.1, LS.5.3
Students learn about
Students learn to

the ways in which
information and
software technology
can be used to
enhance daily life


the ways in which
information and
software technology
can be used to
enhance daily life

recognise personal
technology devices
recognise that technology
can be used to make
choices and express
preferences
 use personal technology
devices for a variety of
purposes
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Teacher
 assists students to recognise and use their own personal
technology devices to communicate and manage their
environment
 assists students to recognise the impact of new and
emerging technologies
 assists students to select information and software
technology options to communicate about school events
 assists students in recording their involvement at each
step of the design process in a folio.
Students
 recognise their own personal technology devices. These
may include:
– switch activated equipment
– voice output communication aids
– computer
– mobile phone
– pocket organiser

use own personal technology devices to communicate
for a range of purposes. This may include:
– requesting and rejecting
– protesting
– expressing emotions
– expressing needs
– giving information
– participating in conversations
Evidence of learning
(words in italics refer to
Life Skills outcomes)
Feedback
Recognition of personal
technology devices may
indicate using information
and software technology to
participate in and manage
their environment.
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’:
 identification of personal
technology devices
Using personal technology
devices to communicate
for a range of purposes
may indicate using
information and software
technology to participate
in and manage their
environment.

demonstration of use of
personal technology
devices in the context of
managing their
environment.
continued
3
Focus: Exploring current and emerging technologies (cont)
Outcomes: LS.1.1, LS.4.1, LS.5.1, LS.5.3
Students learn about
Students learn to


explore the changes that
technology has made to
daily life

experience group
discussions to find
solutions

use a word
processor/digital
camera/video/ multimedia
software to present
information to a group

the impact of
changing technology
in school and
community contexts
communicating
effectively across a
range of contexts in
relation to developing
solutions
 using technology to
present solutions
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Students
 identify ways in which technology impacts on daily life,
in both the home and school. This may include:
– identifying technology items that have improved
communication between people, eg mobile phones,
email
– identifying technology items that have impacted on
personal and group recreation and leisure activities
such as television, Walkman, game boys, videos,
digital cameras
– including examples of identified items in their folio
 establish and maintain a record of their involvement
throughout the design project in a folio. Items in the
folio may include:
– photographs and/or other images of their
participation at various steps
– descriptions of their activities at each step
– personal observations
– data and information relevant to the project
– personalised step-by-step plan to produce the project
– evaluation of the project.
Evidence of learning
(words in italics refer to
Life Skills outcomes)
Feedback
Identifying the ways in
which technology impacts
on daily life may indicate
exploring the impact of
past, current and emerging
information technologies.
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’:
 identification of the ways
in which technology
impacts on daily life
Establishing and
maintaining a folio may
indicate demonstrating
communication skills in the
development of
information and software
technology solutions
and/or using a variety of
techniques to present
information and software
technology solutions.

recording of their
participation in the design
process in an appropriate
format.
4
Focus: Selecting a design project
Outcome: LS.2.1
Students learn about
Students learn to

matching appropriate
technology strategies
to a specific problem

select an appropriate
strategy for a given
problem
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Teacher
 assists students to select a significant school event to
record using information and software technology
 assists student to select appropriate information and
software technology to record the school event.
Students
 explore appropriate information and software
technology options for communicating about school
events. This may involve:
– indicating events which are of particular interest
– making suggestions about the best ways to
communicate about school events, eg digital
photographs to show students enjoying lunch time,
audio recording of a school assembly, video of dance
performance, multimedia presentation of school
camp
– suggesting items of computer hardware and software
to undertake the project.
Evidence of learning
(words in italics refer to
Life Skills outcomes)
Feedback
Exploration of appropriate
information and software
technology options to
communicate about school
events may indicate using
information and software
technology in solving a
range of problems.
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’
consideration of a wide
range of technology
solutions and guide
identification of appropriate
technologies for the
particular purpose of
recording a significant
school event.
5
Focus: Following the plan to produce the project
Outcomes: LS.1.2, LS.1.3, LS.2.2, LS.5.3
Students learn about

how a variety of
hardware and
software can be used
for a range of
purposes in a variety
of school and
community contexts
 the range and type of
hardware which can
be accesses in school
and community
contexts
Students learn to

operate a range of
hardware/software
 use a range of
hardware/software for a
variety of purposes in a
range of contexts

recognise a range of
hardware
 use a range of hardware/
software for a variety of
purposes in a range of
context
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Teacher
 demonstrates and explicitly teaches students to operate a
range of hardware and software, eg digital and video
camera, audio recorder, computer peripherals such as
scanner
 assists students to develop a step-by-step plan to
produce the multimedia presentation of the significant
school event.
Students
 follow a step-by-step plan to record the identified
significant school event

use a range of hardware and software to develop a
multimedia presentation of a specific school event in
response to teacher demonstration and instruction. This
may include:
– taking photographs
– recording video footage
– scanning photographs/images into computer
– downloading digital images to computer
– adding graphics/text to images
– recording music
– recording voice/environmental sounds
– recording a commentary using a voice
output/communication device
– word-processing title, authors, publicity,
acknowledgments
Evidence of learning
(words in italics refer to
Life Skills outcomes)
Feedback
Following the step-by-step
plan to record the
significant school event
may indicate using a range
of hardware and/or using a
range of software
programs.
Using a range of hardware
and software to develop a
multimedia presentation of
the school event may
involve using a range of
hardware and/or using a
range of software.
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’:
 following a plan to record
the significant school
event
 demonstration of the use
a range of hardware and
software to develop a
multimedia presentation
that could include a
digital camera,
multimedia software and
word-processing.
continued
6
Focus: Following the plan to produce the project (cont)
Outcomes: LS.1.2, LS.1.3, LS.2.2, LS.5.3
Students learn about
Students learn to


use a range of
hardware/software for a
variety of purposes in a
range of contexts

use multimedia software
to present information to
a group
how a variety of
hardware and
software can be used
for a range of
purposes in a variety
of school and
community contexts
 using technology to
present solutions

how a variety of
hardware and
software can be used
for a range of
purposes in a variety
of contexts

use a range of
hardware/software for a
variety of purposes in a
range of contexts
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Evidence of learning
(words in italics refer to
Life Skills outcomes)
Feedback
Compiling the final
multimedia presentation
may involve using a range
of hardware and/or use of
a range of software
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’:
 compilation of the final
presentation
present the slideshow to an audience using a data
projector. Students may:
– activate the application
– monitor the presentation and cue slides
– make adjustments to the presentation, eg volume,
pace
Presentation of the
slideshow may involve
using a variety of
techniques to present
information and software
technology solutions.

make a permanent record of the presentation to share
with others
Making a permanent
record of the presentation
to share with others may
indicate using a range of
hardware and/or using a
range of software.
Students
 compile the final multimedia presentation. This may
include:
– selecting preferred images
– sequencing
– editing
– adding text


demonstration of
appropriate skills in the
presentation of the
slideshow
Audience reaction provides
feedback.
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’
identification of appropriate
technologies for making a
permanent record of a
significant school event.
continued
7
Focus: Following the plan to produce the project (cont)
Outcomes: LS.1.2, LS.1.3, LS.2.2, LS.5.3
Students learn about
Students learn to



evaluating a project in
terms of available
resources, time, cost,
effectiveness
evaluate strategies
makes suggestions for
improvement
Integrated learning experiences, instruction and
assessment
Students
 evaluate their project in terms of its effectiveness. This
may include:
– responding to feedback from others on the
presentation
– responding to questions such as ‘Were the processes
you used for editing the presentation effective?’,
‘What did other people like about the presentation?’,
‘How could the presentation be improved?’
– recording in the folio the reaction of others to their
presentation
– making suggestions in their folio about how the
presentation could be improved.
Evidence of learning
(words in italics refer to
Life Skills outcomes)
Feedback
Evaluating their project
may indicate evaluating
information and software
technology solutions.
Oral, visual and/or tangible
feedback and prompting by
the teacher to guide and
affirm students’ evaluation
of their project in terms of
its effectiveness.
8